MANKATO, Minn.- The Macalester College women's basketball team returned to play after the holiday break to beat Bethany Lutheran College 78-75. The Scots are now 3-6 on the year after beating the 8-3 UMAC Vikings in Mankato today.
 
The non-conference match up remained close throughout as the Scots traded baskets with Bethany Lutheran for most of the game. Macalester was up by just one point at half time, 26-25, as the Scots shot 36 percent from the field. The Scots then came out slow in the third quarter as they were outscored 24-18 by the Vikings and were down 50-45 going into the final quarter.
 
The Scots had one of their most efficient shooting halves in the second half against Bethany Lutheran, shooting 55 percent from the field and 60 percent from behind the arch. This efficiency led to Macalester outscoring the Vikings 33-25 in the fourth quarter to win by three points for their third win of the year. Senior Vivi Gregorich (Boulder, Co./Boulder) led the Scots with 22 points, two rebounds and one steal. Gregorich scored the final two free throws in the last five seconds to lead the Scots out of reach of the Vikings.
 
Macalester's shooting was an all-around team effort with three starters scoring double digit points and five players scoring a total of 22 points off the bench.
 
Sophomore Tyana Loiselle (Bloomer, Wis./Chippewa Falls) followed Gregorich with 18 points and six rebounds. To complete the team effort sophomore guard Holly Hull (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest), scored 10 points and totaled three steals.
 
The Vikings were led by Abby Olson who scored 16 points on the night.
 
The Scots return to action at home for a New Year's Eve non-conference game against Northland College on Sun., Dec. 31 in St. Paul, Minn. at 1:00 p.m.